Animal Talk Podcast

Animal Talk Podcast Animal Talk Podcast 🎙️🐾
Your go-to show for all things wild, weird, and wonderfully animal! New episodes dropping regularly🎧

Hosted by Ryne Ferguson & Ayrton King, bringing you epic stories, expert chats, and behind-the-scenes adventures.

19/09/2026

In this Episode, Ryne chats with Sarah from Wild Welfare following an amazing Wild Welfare Animal Husbandry Workshop held at Lory Park Zoo.

Sarah, who facilitated the workshop alongside Simon, shares her experience of the four-day workshop, the incredible engagement from everyone who attended, and the importance of continuing to develop knowledge, skills and animal welfare practices within the animal care community.

But the conversation doesn’t stop there! After the workshop, Sarah headed out into the African bush, and she chats to Ryne about that experience, the wildlife she encountered, and what made the trip so special.

Ryne and Sarah also dive deeper into Wild Welfare, including their e-learning opportunities, the work they are doing internationally, and some of the exciting projects, workshops and initiatives coming up around the world.

It’s a great conversation filled with animal welfare, learning, experiences in the field and a look at how organisations like Wild Welfare are helping to create positive change for animals and the people who care for them.

🎙️ Tune in and join Ryne and Sarah for Episode 56 of Animal Talk Podcast!



Listen here: https://youtu.be/HnhL-oxyKXc?si=4CwdsaRVAKHGgTUH

12/09/2026

In this episode, Ryne chats with Nicky about “Let’s Talk Shaping Behaviour” and the fascinating world of behavioural training.
They dive into the principles behind shaping behaviour, how understanding animal behaviour can improve communication and relationships between animals and their caregivers, and why thoughtful, ethical training is such an important part of animal care.
Nicky also shares more about her zoological consulting company, Shaping Behaviour, and the work she does to support animal care professionals and facilities through behaviour, training and practical knowledge.
From the fundamentals of shaping behaviour to the bigger picture of improving animal welfare, this is a conversation packed with insight, experience and plenty for animal caregivers, keepers, trainers and anyone passionate about working with animals to take away.
🎙️ Listen in and let’s talk Shaping Behaviour!
Listen here: https://youtu.be/Ky1cZYWG1-Q?si=Rr2zIP4WUpnIdIEi

05/09/2026

In this special episode, Ryne chats with Tammy from FreeMe Wildlife all about vultures and why these incredible birds are so important to our ecosystems.

To mark International Vulture Awareness Day, we take a closer look at the vital role vultures play as nature’s clean-up crew, helping to remove carcasses, limit the spread of disease, and keep ecosystems healthy.

Ryne and Tammy discuss the fascinating world of vultures, their behaviour and adaptations, the threats they face, and why protecting these often misunderstood birds is so important.

Vultures may not always be the most popular animals, but they are essential to a healthy ecosystem. 🦅🌍

🎙️ Tune in and discover why we should be giving vultures the recognition they truly deserve!

Listen here and subscribe: https://youtu.be/FQnUhSCdRJQ?si=DXI6yKZQaouDAGdk

29/08/2026

In this episode Ryne chats to Shané and Ume from SAAMBR uShaka Sea World about their experiences at the Animal Cognitive Bias Workshop held just over a week ago. They discuss some of their key takeaways, experiences and how understanding cognitive bias can help us better understand animal behaviour and welfare.

Then we dive into the story of “Val the Enrichment Ball” a boomer ball from the Shape Africa Enrichment Workshop that has already had quite the adventure! From her unexpected journey through airport security to making her way to uShaka Sea World, Val has certainly travelled further than most enrichment equipment.

The team chats about Val’s journey, the plans for her future at uShaka Sea World, and how this simple boomer ball can become an exciting enrichment opportunity for the animals.

A fun episode exploring cognitive bias, animal welfare, enrichment, professional development and the surprisingly eventful life of Val the Enrichment Ball! 🐾

🎙️ Listen now and follow Val’s journey from Shape Africa to uShaka Sea World!

Listen & Subscribe here: https://youtu.be/4tbblGsfXE0?si=SHE_zNj86JFYmasV

22/08/2026

In this Part 2 episode, Ryne catches up with Pippa from Cango Wildlife to continue their conversation about animal behaviour and training.

After chatting about training, behaviour and her work with Patricia the porcupine in the previous episode, Pippa returns to share how things have progressed. She talks about her new training journey, the lessons she has learned along the way, and how the animals have responded to the training.

Ryne and Pippa discuss what has changed since their last conversation, the challenges and successes she has experienced, and why understanding animal behaviour and body language is so important when developing a successful training programme.

A great follow-up for anyone interested in animal training, behaviour, keeper development and building positive relationships with animals under human care.

Subscribe: https://youtu.be/fIsadj8Dj78?si=OgO_LN7KWjaHM7px

08/08/2026

Ayrton is back!
🐾
In this Episode, Ryne and Ayrton sit down with Pippa Fourie, an Animal Caregiver at Cango Wildlife Ranch, to chat about her journey into animal care and how she got to where she is today.

Pippa shares her experiences working with a variety of animals and the different training relationships she has developed, including her special bond with Patricia the Porcupine!

The conversation also dives deeper into the importance of understanding animal behaviour and body language. They discuss how reading an animal’s behaviour, recognising subtle changes in body language and understanding what an animal is communicating can play a vital role in successful training.

Pippa also talks about recently joining SAAKA (South African Animal Keepers Association) as a member and what being part of a professional community can offer animal care professionals.

From building trust and relationships to using behaviour and body language to guide training, this episode highlights how good animal training starts with understanding the animal in front of you.

🎧 Tune in and join the conversation!

Subscribe: https://youtu.be/f9jvASfqebE?si=wWPokTzXc9kzf4M3

06/08/2026

📢 Invest in your animal care skills with world-class training!
SAAKA is proud to partner with Wild Welfare UK to bring the 4-Day Animal Husbandry Course to South Africa.
Join us from 7–10 September 2026 at Lory Park Zoo for an engaging course covering:
🦁 Animal welfare concepts
🌿 Enrichment design
📋 Welfare assessments
🥗 Nutrition & health
📝 Record keeping
🧠 Animal behaviour
Whether you’re an experienced keeper or just starting your career, this course offers practical knowledge to help improve animal welfare standards.
📍 Venue: Lory Park Zoo
📅 7–10 September 2026
⏰ 07:30–17:00
💰 Registration: R980
💚 SAAKA Members: R750
📆 Bookings close: 31 August
Book your place today at saaka.org.za or WhatsApp Robynn: 084 496 8587.

Address

Johannesburg

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Animal Talk Podcast posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Animal Talk Podcast:

Shortcuts

Share

Category